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F. W. JONES. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY GROUNDING 0R CUTTING OUT OF CIRCUIT EXPOSED ELEGTRIGAL GONDUGTORS. No. 443,527. Patented Dec. 30, 1890.

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(No Model!) I. W. JONES. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY GROUNDING 0R CUTTING OUT OF GIRG'UIT EXPOSED ELECTRICAL GONDUGTORS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS \V. JONES, OF NETV YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY GROUNDING 0R CUTTING OUT OF CIRCUIT EXPOSED ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,527, dated December 30, 1890.

Application filed August 15, 1890. Serial No. 362,066. (No model.)

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS TV. JONES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York,in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Grounding or Cutting Out of Circuit Exposed Electrical Conductors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is directed particularly to an improved apparatus which will automatically rupture an overhead main-line circuit when it breaks or becomes detached from its supports, thereby rendering it dangerous to persons passing in close proximity to the conductors thus interrupted.

My invention will be fully understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a general diagram of wires and devices embodying the features of my invenlion. Figs. 2 and 5 are diagramsillustrating various details of the same. Figs. 3 and t are sectional views of my improved circuitinterrupter.

Referring to Fig. 1, P P P P indicate the poles or supports, with suspension-wires sw, sw &c., attached thereto in the usual manner at points i t, &c. The line T\V indicates the electric conductor for the conveyance of heavy currents, and is shown as a trolley-wire in an electric street-railroad system, although it may as well be considered as an electriclight wire or the conductor of heavy currents for any purpose whatsoever. so far as exemplifying my invention is concerned, and is at tached in any suitable manner to the suspension-wires sw 810 at points 00 00 The line G V indicates a guard-wire placed over T V and attached in a suitable way to the suspension-wires sw' $10 at points 0c :0 Between the points 0: m on the guard-wire GTV and the points '0 e on the trolley or electric wire T TV there are stretched two wires, respectively, I) I), included in each of which is shown an auiomatic circuit-closing or circuit-opening device 0' 0 (shown in detail in Figs. 8 and 4,) the operation of which will be more fully shown hereinafter. The dotted lines between the suspensionwires $20 510 and the earth are intended to represent the guard-wire placed in connection with the earth, ma the suspension-wires, at every point of the guard wires support. The suspension-wires $2.0 5w and the attached electric conductor T W' are insulated from the earth.

Fig. 2 is a modification of Fig. 1, and indicates a trolley-wire or other electric conductor T \V and a guard-wire G W, suspended from overhanging arms or brackets attach ed to the supports P P, as will be readily understood. Like figures and letters refer to like parts, as in Fig. 1, the suspension-wires 5w .910 being omitted in Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 indicates the hereinbefore-named circuit-closing device, to be particularly referred to hereinafter as C, and to be shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as c and c and may be constructed as follows: 0' is a non-conducting cylinder holding at one end a fixed metallic electrode or contact-point A and at the other end a movable metallic electrode or contact-point B, normally held in electric contact with A by the expansive force of the spiral spring S, forming a closed electric circuit between the wires 19 I). hen, however, there is a suffi cient and proper strain or pull exerted by the Wires 1) b, the movable contact B yields by compressing spring S, and an opening is formed between A and B sufficient to open the circuit and prevent the flow of the current from I) to b. The electrodes A and B may be partlyof platinum, or wholly or partly of any suitable conducting material. a a are intended to represent platinum facings upon the electrodes.

Fig. 4 indicates the hereinbeforemamed circuit-opening device, to be particularly referred to hereinafter as D, and is shown in Fig. 5 as D D, &c., and may be constructed as follows: 0 is a non-conducting cylinder holding at one end a fixed metallic electrode or contact-point A and at the other end a movable metallic electrode or contact-point B, with platina or other non-oxidizable faces a a, respectively placed in such relations to each other that the movable electrode B is normally held away from A by the expansive force of the spring S, sufficient to open the circuit and prevent the flow of current from l) to Z). \Yhen, however, there is a sullieient strain or pull exerted by the wires Z) l), the movable contact 13 yields by compressing spring 5, and the electrodes A 1-3 are brought into contact at (L a, and a path is established for the flow of the current from wires l) to h rte If, a, a, and Z).

M 1 Referring to 1 1g. .1, a full section or span of an insulated electric conductor T \V and a grounded guard-wire G \V is shown in the diagram between the points of support 1 l, &c., and fragments of the continuing-spans on the other sides of the supports are shown to the right and left of l 1., &C. The electric conductor T \V is mainly supported at points at by the respective suspension wires sitsitand the grounded guard-wire G \V is sustained in position by the suspension wires s11 sit" at points .17 a, as shown. Between the points a" a on the guard-wire and points Y Y, to, on the electric conductoris inserted in each of the four branches, respectively, an automatic circuit-closing device C, Fig. 3, which is held in position by conducting-wires b b, be. The wires Z) Z1 &c., are drawn up or tightened with sufficient tension to compress the spiral spring S of each circuit-closing device with considerable force, thus cutting oft a path for the electric current from T \V to G \Y we, '1. and L" when the wires are unbroken and the system is in its normal condition.

It will readily be understood from the foregoing and from an inspection of the drawings that should a break of the electric conductor '1 \V occur between the points of support 0; a1as, for example, to the right, but near the point t -the strain to which T XV was subjected on being held up in position before be ing broken would become relaxed, and the spring S on each 0 and c on the side nearest the break will overcome the weight of the broken ends of the electric conductor and immediatcly bring the electrodes A B together, thus elosi ng a circuit between the electric eonductor and the earth tic points v, 11,0 1/, w, and Swon the left-hand side of the diagram andt'z'a points z, Z1, c',b',:t" and sit." on the righthand side. Should the electric conductor T -\V be supported in such a way at points a: m as to be free to move or slip in the direc' tion of its length oppositely to the break, then the action of c and c nearest the break in closing their ground-circuits will. be facilitated, and c and c on the sides of the sup ports remote from the break will assist in the support of the contiguous unbroken spans.

It is obvious that the suspension-wires $20 $10 maybe entirely removed and the electric conductor entirely held in position at points i v, &c., by the branch wires 1) b", &e., in eluding the automatic circuit-closing devices 0' 0 without departing from my invention or interfering with its proper operation.

The result of the operation of my invention, as described, will be to reduce the potential of both dangling ends of the broken electric conductor to zero, rendering them incapable of conveying any harmful charge of electricity to any object with which they may come in contact, and the automatic grounding of both ends of the broken electric conductor will take place nearly at the instant the wire becomes broken or disconnected.

A further advantage claimed for my arrangement of guard-wire and electric conductor, as described, is that in case any foreign wire should fall across the guard-wire and dangle to the ground in such a manner as to touch both the guard-wirc and the electric wire at the same time the section of the foreign wire between the two other wires will become the path for the current to flow from the electric conductor to the earth rid the guardwire and its earth connections heretot'ore described. The dangling end of the foreign wire in the above case will have its electric potential reduced nearly to zero and be rendered harmless both as to danger to life and property.

Fig. 5 represents the application of the circuit-opening device I), Fig. t, hereinbefore described, to an electric conductor 1 \V in a mannersimilar to and for the purpose as that of circuit-closing device 0, (shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3,) as previously set forth. The electric conductor 1 W is supported loosely by insulating eyes or rings at points 00 w under the arms of the poles P P, so that it is free to be moved in the direction of its length. 3etween points 0: :1 which are insulated supports on or above the arms, and points i; '0, &c., on the electric conductor, the device I) is inserted in a branch circuit formed by wires Z) Z), &c., as shown, the wires I) 0' being connected to earth at :r 0; via the dotted lines. \Vhen the electric conductor l \V is intact; and suspended in a normal condition, the tension of either of the branch wires 1) I) between the points 1) and a." is less than the tension of the extended spring S of the automatic circuit-opening device D, which is included in said branch wires, and no escape of the electric current from conductor P \V to earth E is possible, as the electrodes of I) remain separated, as shown in Fig. 4. Should a break or disconnection occur in I W at. any point between [a and 0: the two branch circuits on the side of {U2 opposite to the break or disconnection will then be subjected to a strain of the electric conductor in the direction of its length opposite to the point where broken,overcoming the expansive force of spring C and so compressing it as to bring its electrodes A B together, thus closing the branch circuitsbetwecn the'clectricconductor and the earth rice 1: b, I), Z), and :n' on the right-hand pole of the drawing and between the electric conductor and the earth via t, Z), D, b, and w on the left-hand pole. The two branch circuits connected to points t and o nearest the break will be subjected to less strain and remain open.

I am aware that it is old in the art to utilize a guard-wire over a conductor conveying high-tension currents, and that such a wire provided with grounded circuits at intervals has heretofore been proposed, and that means have heretofore been devised for automatically giving an alarm or indication at a central station of a cross between an independent wire, the guardwire, and the high-tension conductor, and also that devices have heretofore been proposed for automatically rupturing the circuit at points near the point of suspension ofa high-tension conductor when said conductor is either ruptured or released from its supports, and I make no claim broadly, therefore, to a generic arrangement of parts for accomplishing'the several features named in this disclaimer. I believe it is novel with me, however, to combine a continuous or uninterrupted main line or high-tension-current conductor with a guard-Wire having earthconnections at stated intervals and normallyopen circuit-controlling devices connecting the guard-wire and the conductor and held out of operative relation by the weight of the conductor, as hereinbefore described.

lVhat I claim as my invention is 1. A continuous conductor suspended at intervals, in combination with earth-circuits located at or near the points of suspension and normallyopen circuit-closing devices not normally forming part of the conductor, said closing devices being mechanically connected on each side of the points of support with the aforesaid conductor, substantially as described.

2. A continuous electrical conductor supported at stated intervals and provided with earth-circuits located near the points of support, in combination with a guard-wire connected to the earth-Wires and normally-open circuit-closing devices on each side of the points of support, said circuit-closin g devices being held out of operative relation with the guard-wire and the earth-circuits by the tension of the aforesaid conductor, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a continuous electrical conductor adapted to convey high-tension currents and supported at intervals in the open air with one or more earth'circuits and one or more normally-open circuit-closin g devices not normally forming a part of the continuous conductor, but adapted to connect it with the earth circuit or circuits, said circuit-closing device or devices being held out of operative relation with the earth-circuit connections by the tension of the aforesaid conductor, substantially as described.

4.. The combination of a spring-actuated circuit-closing device with a continuous mainline conductor and an earth-conductor, the circuit-closing device being normally out of circuit with the continuous main-line conductor, but being connected directly to the earth-conductor on one side and held normally out of action by the stress of the main-line conductor, substantially as described.

, 5. A continuous main-line conductor and one or more supports therefor, an earth-air cuit carried by each support, and a springactuated circuit-closing device on each side of the support, but normally out of circuit with the continuous main-line conductor, each of said circnit-closiu g devices being connected to the earth-circuit on one side and to the main-line conductor on the opposite side and held normally open by the stress of the aforesaid main-line conductorin opposite d1- rections, substantially as described.

6. A continuous main-line electrical conductor, a series of supports therefor, an earthcircuit located at each support, and a pair of spring-actuated circuit-closing devices electrically and mechanically connected to the supportand the earth-wire, but normally electrically disconnected from the main-line conductor, and located one on each-side of the support, and both connected understress to the main-line Wire, but on opposite sides of the support, substantially as described.

7. A continuous main-line electrical conductor, a series of supports therefor, and a guard-wire connected to the supports and to a series of earth-circuits, in combination with a series of normally-open spring-actuated circuit-closing devices connected to the guardwire and the main-line Wire under stress due to the tension of the latter, substantially as described.

8. Acontinuous main-line conductor and a support therefor having electrical connection with the earth, and a spring-actuated circuitclosing device consisting of an insulated tube or cylinder and a pair of spring-pressed electrodes inclosed therein, said electrodes being connected, respectively, with the earth-wire and the main-line conductor and held under stress due to the tension of said conductor, substantially as described.

9. A continuous main-line conductor supported at intervals, a guard-Wire sustained by the same supports and provided with a permanent earth connection at or near each support, and one or more normally-open circuitclosing devices located also at each point of support and mechanically connecting the continuous main-line Wire with the earth-conductors, butnormally out of circuit with the main line conductor, substantially as described.

lO. A continuous main-line conductor supported at intervals in the open air, a guardwire sustained by the same supports, an earthcircuit at each point of support permanently connecting the guard-wire with the earth, and a circuit-closing device on each side' of each point of support mechanically joining the continuous main-line wire with the earth-wire, said circuit-closing devices being held out of action by the stress of the main-line Wire, substantially as described.

11. Acontinuous main-line conductor supported at intervals. a continuous guard-Wire sustained by the same supports and provided with permanent enrth connections at each point of support, and one or more springaetnated circuit-closing devices connecting the continuous main-line wire with each earth connection, but normally out of circuit with the main-line wire, said spring-netimted eirouit-closing devices being hehl normally open by the tensile strain of the main-line conductor, substantially as described.

| In testimony that 1 claim the foregoing as [o my invention I have signed my n :une, in. presence of two witnessen, this llth (lay of August, 18%.

FRANCIS \V. JONES.

"Witnesses: i GEO. W. Bnnor; CAROLINE E. ASHLEY. 

